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121715-Deals-Conflict-Blood-and-Romance
CAA: Nyarla, you wake with a sudden jolt as your room shifts positions in the Archives. You hear the liquid in your recuperacoon slosh around for a few minutes, then your room comes to a stop. Your door unlocks with a click. CCC: He stares at the door for a minute, before pushing his worries out of his mind and going to open the door, entering the next room. CAA: You find yourself in the Astrolabe, where you were before Libby sent your team to LoPaP. CAT: Lorrea is mostly curled up on the floor, though she stirs as the door is opened- not looking up, but clearly aware that something changed. CCC: He notices the familiar smol troll on the floor. "Lorrea?" CAT: Now, she glances up. "... Nyarrlla?" CAA: Ari, still in his suit, strides in through the glass as if it were an open door. "I've purchased ten minutes for you to make a deal with me, Nyarla. Make it count." CAT: ".... Damn it, Nyarrlla." CCC: He looks over at the arrival of Ari. "Nice suit." CAT: Lorrea sits up, looking between Nyarla and Ari. CAA: Ari glances down at their wrist, tapping the calculator wrist watch there. "Time is of the essence. Tell me what you want, and what you'll offer." CCC: "What about Serios being present?" CAT: Her gaze holds the weight of judgement. "Is disapprrovalll a currrency that you hope to harrvest frrom him?" CAT: "That woulld actuallly expllain a llot." CAA: "Serios is indisposed. The Oracle was in need of comfort. As usual with them, it turned rather physical." CCC: He chuckles and then looks back at Lorrea. "You knew I wasp going to this length. Wanna preside over this in Serios' stead?" CAT: "Is this becoming trradition." CCC: "Is what becoming tradition?" CAT: "Being asked to prreside overr peoplle's negotations." CAT: "... Do you even know what you want?" CCC: "I want Ari to bid for my dreamself and hopefully keep it safe from the worst of the horror terrors." CAA: "And what do you offer me in return?" CCC: He turns back to Ari. "In return, I'm offering myself to be subject to this...Grimdark." CAT: Lorrea's brows furrow, slightly. CAT: "That's harrdlly prrecise phrrasing, Nyarrlla." CAA: Ari nods. "What method will there be to your madness?" CCC: "What do you mean, Ari?" CAT: "Do you even underrstand what it is?" CAA: "Grimdark necessitates an exchange of Power. You become Grimdark by learning more of our ways." CCC: "A temporary possession that allows Ari to act, using myself as a vessel" CAT: "Bits and pieces." CCC: "True, but I'm pressed for time and could be bought at any time." CCC: "Lorrea, if you have any advice or info to chime in with, please do." CCC: "Ari, what do mean by learning more of your ways?" CAA: "Power. Learning to use one specific aspect of it." They look pointedly at their watch. CCC: "Is that the new power you were offering to balance this out?" CAA: "Yes." They seem to be growing more impatient. CAT: Lorrea pushes herself to her feet, narrowing her eyes. CCC: "...I don't suppose I can stretch time so this all can feel less rushed, can I?" CCC: "That wasp a joke. Unless of course you'll actually let me." CAT: "And my cllaim on his LLife is one that woulldn't be respected in the lleast, woulld it." CCC: He side eyes Lorrea at the "claim". CAA: "If you wish to claim him, go ahead, Lorrea, He's the one who doesn't respect Aaisha's choice. And no, I won't allow you more time. This is a courtesy." CCC: "You would really fault me for putting her safety over whether or not I'm trapped here?" CAA: "I fault you for your manner, Nyarla. Do you want the deal or not? If so, tell me what kind of power you want. If not, I will return you to them." CAT: "... Nyarrlla, you woulld take powerr, frrom the same sourrce as herr, forr the sake of PRROTECTING herr from it?" CCC: "This isn't to protect her, Lorrea, 'this' is to protect myself. There's nothing that can be done about her deal so I'm letting it go. Ari, this'll probably sound silly, but magic is real, right?" CAA: "Of course." CAA: "Well, except when it's not." CAT: "Magic is just a worrd for when otherr worrds don't worrk forr something, orr arren't convenient enough." CCC: "...alright, thank you." CCC: "How about Magic in the sense of silly magic wands and fanciful spells?" CAT: Lorrea crosses her arms. CAT: "You want to be a lliterralll mage." CCC: "Hehehe, maybe I do. I wasp told magic existed without the definition you gave. Also learning of my class, I thought that should have been my goal." CAA: "Done." Ari pulls a card out of his pocket, and offers it to Nyarla, along with a pearl tipped pin. CAA: "Prick your finger and smear your blood on the card, then give it back. I'll do the rest." CAT: Lorrea smirks. "Even yourr deall is a joke. Imprressive." CAT: "It's fitting." CCC: He takes hold of the card and pin. "Can you give me a bit of insight on what exactly will be done? As in, am I going to be doing cheap party tricks, will I explode from my own powers, etc." CCC: "Lorrea, please, we were doing so good at the peace thing." CAA: "You will be taught real magic. What you do with it is up to you. I need to go bid for you, but I will not do it until the contract is sealed." CCC: "Well Ari, my fate is in your hands." He pricks his finger with the pin, smearing it onto the card. CCC: He holds them out to be taken back. CAT: "... As though that was everrrr reallly fallllllse." CCC: "Yes, as though that wasp ever really false." CAA: Ari takes them back, pricks their own finger, and smears blood on the card. "It is done. I'll be back in a little bit to collect you properly. You and Lorrea can keep each other company until then." Ari vanishes. CAT: "... You realllize having the time cut shorrrt to llimit negotiations is lliterrallly the olldest trrick in the book, right?" CAT: "To forrce a quick choice, especialllly one that coullld be unfairrr, given the push towarrds AGRRRREEING." CAT: "But, surrre." CCC: "No shit." CAT: "It's yourrr LLife, afterrr allll." CCC: "You're the one who's apparently laid claim to that life." CAT: "Did you reallly forrget so quicklly?" CCC: "I'm just trying to keep it from the Horror Terrors I /know/ will fuck me up/" CAT: "That isn't NEW." CCC: "Yeah, back when you were planning to kill and or "break" me. Not easy to forget." CAT: "No." CAT: "That woulllld have been so much easierrr, though, woullldn't it?" CCC: "Ugh, can't even be alone with you for two minutes and we're back to this." CAT: "Back to what?" CAT: "My being crriticalll of yourr choices and the mannerrr with which you apprrroach them?" CCC: "Overly critical, looking for for ways to tell me how I fuck up." CCC: "Isn't it boring yet?" CAT: "At THIS point, cllearrrllly, you have no prrobllem negotiating with that which isn't yourrs." CCC: "Like my own life." CAT: "Stop fucking up so crrreativellly, if you want me to stop." CAT: "The prrrobllem being that yourrr LLife stopped being yourrs, REGARRDLLLESS of if I'd cllaimed it orr not." CCC: "I gave you an opening to say your piece, you cannot deny that you just sat here and waited for the chance to start shit with me on this." CAT: "Oh, harrrdllly." CCC: "Literally this is a thing that just happened." CCC: "But whatever, it's done." CAT: "It is." CAT: "And now you match with Aaisha." CCC: "Matching coats, matching horror terror insignia." CAT: "So romantic." CCC: "Aren't we the cutest couple?" CAT: "She barrterrs forr you, you...." CAT: "Allso barrterr forr you." CCC: "I tried to barter for her, I wasp told it waspn't allowed." CAT: "Yes." CCC: "And it makes Ari think I'm plotting against her, so I stopped before I could turn this into more of a curse than a blessing." CCC: "If it could even be called a blessing at any point in any way." CAT: "Uh-huh." CCC: "... CCC: " CAT: Lorrea quirks a brow. CCC: He's not even looking in her direction at this point. He takes a seat on the floor with his legs crossed. CAT: "... What prrobllems do you think yourr dealll solllved, outside of getting Arri to bid on you." CAT: "Because the entirrrre remainderrr of the deallll is supposed to be the sorrrrt that sustains itsellllf." CCC: "Hopefully, the problem of my this version of my self being tortured for a few eternities." CAT: "You missed the wholllle point of those sentences." CAT: "BESIDES that, dumbass." CCC: "That's the only reason I'm here, dumbass. This is for me." CAT: "Welll done, Nyarrlla." CAT: Lorrea rolls her eyes, sighing. CAT: "How do you think knowing magic willl helllp you." CAT: "Do you have any idea." CAT: "Which prrobllems does that solllve that we coullldn't have alllrready figurred out." CAT: "Oh wait. ALLLL YOU FUCKING KNOW IS THAT IT'S MAGIC, WHICH YOU WERREN'T EVEN SURRE WAS REALLL." CCC: He also sighs. "The magic is just a formality because I may as well actually get something from this. I'm not here for power, I'm here to save my dreamself. Bonus powers are a bonus." CAT: "They arren't BONUS." CAT: "You arrre PAYING FORR THOSE." CCC: "I fucking know that." CCC: "But they're not my fucking objective here." CCC: "If you're gonna be a huge bitch, just shut up. Like god fucking damn, Lorrea." CCC: "Please." CAT: "I have reason to be concerrrned when peopllle arrrre barrterrring theirrr llives away and referrring to majorrr clllauses as FORRMALLITIES." CAT: "Why the FUCK do I carrre more about yourr damned LLife than YOU do." CCC: "You call this concern?" CCC: "Pipe up before I sign with my blood next time." CCC: "Don't wait to bitch at me like it'll do anything, but make m resant you." CAT: "... Nyarrlla I can't make yourrr CHOICES forrr you." CAT: "Just llike I coullldn't make Aaisha's forr her." CAT: "I made the MISTAKE of thinking that MAYBE you knew what you werrre doing." CCC: "But if I invite you to give council, then give council." CCC: "Don't critique me after the fact." CAT: "Don't make you awarre of yourr mistakes... afterrr they've allrready been made." CCC: "As if I'm not aware of it already." CAT: "I'm not the time plllayerrr herre. I PRRESUMED that you had some IDEAS in that thinkpan of yourrs." CAT: "But no, it's allll horrn." CAT: "Way to go, Mage." CCC: "Lorrea, you're such a fucking headache." CCC: "And you're giving me a literal one." CAT: "Maybe eventualllly you'lll considerrr the weight of the shit you keep casuallly doing." CCC: "I'm done entertaining your bullshit." CAT: "Whateverr." CAT: "What's done is done." CCC: He's not responding to her. CAT: She doesn't seem to be expecting a reponse. CCC: He idly drums his fingers on the ground. CAT: Lorrea's foot taps against the floor. CCC: The finger drumming is oddly rhythmic CAT: The foot tapping is not. It's almost as though she's actively avoiding absolute consistency. CCC: He subtly switches from drumming his fingers to a whole hand, marking every second, perfectly on beat. CAT: Lorrea focuses on Nyarla, trying to see if she can sense his Life. CAA: This nyarla is definitely dead. CAT: "... Nyarrlla, you trraded yourr LLife, forr the sake of.. a ghost." CAT: "... That underr norrmall cirrcumstances, woullld have bellonged to them anyways." CCC: "Double death is a thing. And while not being 'alive' I can live as this self, I can still experience whatever tortures they'd have in store." CCC: "Summoning this version of me is what started all this, so yeah, they have a claim on it, but they weren't fucking with me until then." CAT: "... You seem verrry cerrrtain of the torrturres." CAT: "... Yourr agrreement was forr Arri to bid- how do you know that that means that they willll WIN?" CCC: "In the chamber they'd been plotting for the worst fate I could be left to." CCC: "Libby in her false feelings, Jack, or guinea oinkkbeast to a miscellaneous Terror." CAT: "I realllly doubt they woullld realllly be miscelllaneous." CCC: "Wouldn't be miscellaneous after they got me, that is."r CCC: "Could be Glissa." CCC: "She wasp the main speaker when I want to the chamber." CAT: "Right." CCC: "I don't know that Ari will win, but I'll take my chances given the alternatives" CAT: "... Therre's been an awfulll lllot of taking ourr chances, llatelly." CCC: "At least we maybe avoided the worst case. I hope." CAT: "The worrrst case is stillll waiting." CAT: "With a massive grrrin on it's face, I'm surrre." CCC: "Sharp teeth ready to chew us up." CCC: "Even gives your jadeblood teeth a run for their money." CAT: "That's impossibllle." CCC: "Right what wasp I thinking?" CCC: "Hey Lorrea, why don't you just take a bite out of all our problems." CCC: "Nothing can stand up to those teeth." CAT: "Wellll, I haven't exactlly had the chance yet." CAT: "It has to be done prroperrlly." CCC: "Well, Scruff McGruff, what's the proper technique to take a bite out of crime?" CAT: "Verrrrry carrrefullllly." CCC: He nods at that. "Of course." CAT: "I mean, that's the onllly reason Jack's been abllle to keep this up." CAT: "He's kept his distance frrom me. And my teeth." CAT: "Clllearrlly therre is nothing ellse compllicating this." -- CURRENT amoralAriadne CAA slides back through the floor, wearing a black and purple lace dress this time, instead of a suit. "Now that that's taken care of, Nyarla, I'll return your room to where Libby left it. Unless you'd like him around while we chat, Lorrea?" -- CAT: "... No." CCC: "Nice dress." CCC: "I'm happy to be free to go, but can you tell me if you won or not, first?" CAA: "I won. You're mine, to do with as I please. Shall I send you off, then?" CAT: Lorrea's gaze flicks between Nyarla and Ari, tinted with suspicion. CCC: He looks back at Lorrea with a puzzled expression. "...Want 'council'?" CAT: "No." CAA: Ari gestures towards the door to Nyarla's bedroom. CCC: "Are you certain that you'd rather be alone here?" CCC: He moves to stand by the door. CAT: "I've alllrready spent a fairr amount of time allone. Go." CCC: "Eh, you're in good hands." He nods to Ari. "I'll see you later, I think I'm getting somewhere with that design." CCC: And he moves through the door, back to his own room. CAA: The door shuts behind Nyarla. Ari leans on the glass, and watches Lorrea. CAT: Lorrea watches the door close, then glances towards Ari. CAT: "Welll," CAT: "Errr." CAA: Ari smiles. "So, what do you want, if anything?" CAT: "... Of what you offerrred, you haven't exactllly... explllained it." CAA: "Well, You were here for my explanation to Aaisha. Why don't you ask anything that's unclear?" CAT: ".... The naturre of how exactllly it woullld counterract Jack, forrr the most parrt?" CAA: "That depends on what kind of power you want." CAT: "Right." CAT: "... But I'm unsurrre as to what woullld be capabllle of actuallly DOING that." CAT: "Of courrse it's possibllle, but." CAA: "Well, do you want to be able to kill him TODAY? Or do you want to be able to develop your powers slowly, and have me merely be the one that permits you access to them?" CAT: "I mean, frranklly, killlling him today woullld be NICE, but it's prrobablly not so simpllle." CAT: "... Otherrwise deallling with him woulllld seem ratherrr trrrivialll." CAA: "If killing him today were easy, one of the other twinks would have done it already." CAT: "Yes." CAT: "... What makes that so difficulllt?" CAA: "Jack has control of the game's code. He can change the rules as attempts to kill him progress." CAT: "... I had a feellling that it was something of that sorrrt." CAT: "And prresumablly therre's no simpllle way to take that frrom him." CAA: "Not without destroying the Game itself. He is... Jack is a computer genius. A prodigy. This Medium's Messiah, according to some of my 'colleagues'." Ari looks as if they do not agree. CAT: ".... Of courrse." CAT: "So being beyond that is out of the question?" CAA: "Absolutely. Jack would be the only one capable of even attempting to give you that kind of power." CAT: "... I mean, frranklly, managing that woullld be hilllarrious." CAT: "How COULLLD he be made to die." CAT: "It can't be impossiblle." CAA: "You must either corrupt his code without him noticing, or give him something he's willing to die for." CAT: "... I see." CAT: "And to give him something that he's willlling to die forrr... isn't a simpllle task in the slllightest." CAA: "It's happened once or twice before." CAT: "... Woullld his death realllly fix anything?" CAT: "That seems vitalllly imporrtant." CAA: "You're asking questions that one must pay to have the answers to." CAT: "And questions that I'm not going to make the dealll without knowing the answerrs to." CAT: "Thought, of courrse, therre arre allways allterrnatives." CAT: "Even though I'm surre some arre exceedinglly unplleasant forr me in the llong terrm. Orr the shorrt terrm, forr that matterr." CAA: "And some are things you barely know you want." CAT: "That's prrobablly trrue!" CAT: "I obviouslly can't say forr cerrtain given the naturre of it, but, welll." CAT: "Do you expect an absollute answerr, one way orr anotherr, now?" CAT: "... And, furrtherr, do you intend to holld me herre untill you have one?" CAA: "Your absolute answer, one way or another, yes. Some of the things I have to offer won't keep, and frankly, I'm not going to go around offering things like this forever. I'm not the local store, you can't call me up whenever you want. I am here, now, offering." CAA: "But I will not keep you here, if that is what you're asking." CAT: "Of courrse." CAT: Lorrea takes a few moments. "... Given the naturre of the agrreements, as they stand... I feell llike I must declline," she states, a bit hesitantly, her gaze carefully studying Ari, trying to gauge their reaction, if it's clearly telegraphed. CAA: Ari shrugs. "Suit yourself." They reach into their bodice, and pull out a vial of viscuous blue liquid. "Guess I don't need this anymore." CAT: "... What is that?" CAT: Lorrea shakes her head, taking a half-step back. "A- actuallly, no." CAA: Ari shrugs. "The last vial of Ramira's -" They stop themselves. "Oh, you don't want to know." CAT: "... Why- why do you have that." CAT: "Why woulld you." CAA: "I did some research. Found where Ramira's remains were. Managed to find the only hair from her head that escaped the incinerator, and used that to alchemize it." CAA: "This whole rainbow drinker thing is quite interesting. Almost every group that enters the game has something similar. Or ARE something similar." CAT: "... What?" CAA: "Aah, I've reached the limit on what I can say. Oh well." Ari shrugs and tucks the vial away. "Back to LoGaG, then?" CAT: "With the prrice being what," CAA: "What price for what?" CAT: "... Expllaining?" CAA: Ari taps their chin. "What exactly do you want me to explain? Just so we're clear. Some answers have higher prices." CAT: "Rainbow drrrrinkerrrrrrrrrs?" CAA: Ari smiles. "I demand a kiss, for that." CAT: ".... A kiss?" CAA: "Yes. Do you know how long it's been since someone kissed me?" Ari sighs, and bats their eyelashes. CAT: "N-no. I don't." CAA: "A really long time. So, a kiss then? For information on Rainbow drinkers? Or should I send you back now?" CAT: "Just- a kiss?" CAA: "Yes. Nothing weird, nothing overly flush. Just a tender kiss, for me." Ari's cheeks blossom with purple. CAT: Lorrea hesitates, her gaze jumping, for a moment, to the exit. "Uhhh," CAA: Ari fidgets uncomfortably. "I didn't realize I was that repulsive. Are you ready to go?" CAT: "N. no, it's-" CAT: "I-" CAT: Lorrea groans, covering her face with her hands. CAT: "That wasn't," her voice is slightly muffled. CAA: "Wasn't what?" Ari is looking at the ground. CAT: "Wasn't THAT," CAT: "You're- not." CAA: "No, I know people think I'm weird, because I slide all over the place. Sometimes I'm a Lord, sometimes a Muse... It's a thing." CAT: "They just- mean a llot??" CAT: "... What?" CAA: "What means a lot?" Ari pulls a tissue out of their sleeve and dabs at their eyes. CAT: "Kisses??" CAA: "Do you understand how little intimacy there is, for us?" CAA: "No, of course you don't." CAA: "Not all of us are Glissa." CAT: "I- I don't underrstand." CAA: Ari grumbles. "Look, you said you don't want a deal, you balked at the kiss for information." They snap their fingers and a portal appears. "There, now you can go. You don't have to suffer my presence any longer." CAA: Ari looks away, out at the session, leaving you a view of the looping braids on their head, and their gently twisting horns. CAT: "It's- harrdlly sufferring, outside of the menace of the futurre." CAT: "I- ballked because it seemed dischorrrrrrdant with what I'd anticipated," CAA: "I'd like to think I've been nice. I try to be." Ari looks down at their hands, twisting the little tissue in them. "I try to be a good person and help people. I cannot help that my nature will not let me help for free." CAA: "What did you think I would do?" CAT: "Peopllle do not frrrrequentllly ask me to kiss them in exchange forrr things??" CAT: "I do not frrrrequentlllly kiss peopllllle as a wholllllle?" CAT: "Hence- the. Apprrrrrehension," she sort of mumbles out. CAA: Ari nods, but doesn't look up. "I get it, it's fine. You don't have to worry about my feelings, Lorrea." CAT: "I don't have to do a llllot of things that I do anyways," CAT: "If it's. stillll being offerrred, I coulllld. Trrry?" CAA: Ari looks up, and smiles weakly. "If you're okay with it." CAT: "I- I suppose." Lorrea shuffles forwards, before hesitating for a moment, and lifting herself onto the balls of her feet, to try to very -lightly- deliver the proffered kiss. Even before she starts moving, there's a fair bit of jade in her face. CAA: Ari leans down, and places their hand on Lorrea's shoulder, pressing their lips against hers for a few quite moments. Then they pull away, smiling brightly. "Rainbow Drinkers are but one incarnation of blood drinking and or cannibalistic mythological figures. They occur in nearly every species that has entered the game. I think they may be some type of Game Constant." CAT: ".... R. right," CAA: "Do you have any other questions about them?" CAT: "... You werre. tallking about the blllllloood, beforre that. They're- how exactlllly. arre they relllated?" CAA: "They are all creatures that consume the blood of others of their kind, in one way or another. Twinks for example: They consume the blood of their mate, and their mate consumes theirs. Together, they become a greater whole by sharing their power." CAT: "Right," CAT: "And- with trrolllls?" CAA: "The Rainbow Drinkers are the Jade Bloods. Powerful Jade Bloods who can walk in sunlight, and gain sustenance where none could normally be found." CAT: ".... I've wallllked in sunllllight." CAA: "Good, you're partway there. All that's left is the rest of the ritual." CAT: "... Which is?" CAA: "You have to consume the blood of every part of the hemocaste. A sample of each. Each will make you stronger, and once you've had them all, you will be a rainbow drinker, and the power of the sun will be yours." Ari smiles. "Plus you'll glow in the dark which is pretty freakin' rad." CAT: "... and you have the llast viall of the bllue." CAA: "I do." CAT: "Uh," CAT: "... Do you have a prrice in mind," CAA: Ari smiles. "Not yet. What's it worth to you?" CAT: "I... don't know." CAA: "Then you probably don't want it too badly." CAT: "I mean..." CAT: "Uh," CAT: "... What is it worrrrrrth to you?" CAA: "A lot. Because it could bring me you." Ari sighs. "My first kiss." CAT: "W-what," CAT: "What- do you mean by that," CAA: Ari giggles. "It's okay. Don't worry. I know I'm not your first kiss." They bat their eyelashes. "I've always wanted a partner more experienced than me." CAT: Lorrea's eyes widen. "That's-" CAT: "It's not..." CAA: Ari blushes. "Oh! Maybe we can get human married." CAT: "W-what," CAA: Ari skips in a circle around Lorrea. "Ooh~ I've always wanted one of those pretty lace veils! I'll ask Libby to be my Maid of Honor~!" CAT: "I-" CAT: "Wherre did-" CAT: "Yourr what??" CAA: Ari squeals. "Shoo! Shoo! We must play out our romance perfectly. I'll meet you on LoGaG later tonight. Find somewhere nice to take me to dinner." CAT: "I-I." CAT: "Uh???" CAA: "Go on. We'll talk more about the deal, the vial, and where we'll be taking our honeymoon over dinner." CAT: "Ourr what??" CAA: "The trip a married couple takes right after their wedding, silly. Now go! I need to pick something to wear!" CAT: "I- okay??" Lorrea steps back, glancing around again, and if the portal is still there, then she'll scamper through it. CAA: It is! Ari waves. "See you tonight, matesprit mine!" The portal closes. Category:Ariadne Category:Lorrea Category:Nyarla